Every Ride but One

My 82-year-old mother, fifty years of Disneyland photos, and the ride she wisely skipped

Pictured here is a Family Photo in front of the Millennium Falcon in Galaxy’s Edge: Star Wars Land. Left to right: Olivia, Hope, Ian, Jackie, Quincy, Julie, Jen, Joy.

Last week, our family gathered at Disneyland—the Disneyland Hotel, the Frontier Tower, cocktails by the pool while the kids sped down the monorail waterslides. We walked Downtown Disney, ate at Naples, and my sister Julie and my niece Hope came home with matching ear headbands shaped like the original parking marquee.

The next day was the real thing: all nine lands, all hundred acres, every ride that was open. Blue Ribbon corn dogs, Carnation Cafe fried chicken, Dole Whips at the Tiki Bar, popcorn, cotton candy, PixarFest fireworks at the end of the day. Fifteen hours later, we fell into bed after the Monorail ride back.

My mother is 82. She did every ride we did that day. Every one except Space Mountain—which is probably for the best.

Fifty years ago, my mom was doing the same thing with a different set of kids. I found the old photos afterward. My parents and my Grandma Blair once owned an apartment complex on Haster Street in Anaheim, close enough that we were at Disneyland a lot as kids, and one of those trips happened when Grandma Baker (Mary Jane) was visiting from Wisconsin. Dumbo the Flying Elephant is still there. The Mad Tea Party Tea Cups haven’t changed. Almost everything else has.

Fifty years later, the two kids in those old photos could still keep step with the rest of us…for the most part.

Pictured above left is my sister Julie and me on the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride with my grandma. The photo on the right is of the Mad Tea Party ride with my grandma and my dad. They look a little nauseated from that teacup spin!

Thanks to Josh, my brother-in-law, who sacrificed himself to take this photo masterpiece. Here he is piloting Smugglers Run.

Keep Reading

Light as Air

I’m Jennifer Ann Blair. I write about food, wine, memory, and place, following stories that deserve a closer look. I hold WSET Level 3 with Merit and write from the California desert, usually with Archie, my German Shepherd, somewhere nearby.

If this made you curious, surprised you, or brought something back, tap the heart, leave a note, or send it to someone who might want to pull up a chair too.